FOUR SOUP RECIPES FOR

Chef Mynhardt Joubert has been cooking from his Station Street Kitchen in Paarl in the Western Cape for the past five years, hosting dinners for paying guests, hosting media launches and using his home as a creative space and photographic studio. The book, My Station Street Kitchen, is a reflection of his kitchen and the dinners that he hosts there.

Mynhardt infuses everything he does with his enthusiasm, exuberance and love of food that incorporates his life experiences, from his childhood on a farm in the Eastern Free State to his travels around the world and throughout South Africa.

BORSCHT Serves: 6–8

"This soup, with its exciting colour, transports me to the faraway, snowy Balkan lands drenched in mystery and fairy tales. Borscht is actually a Ukrainian soup that emerged somewhere in the 1500s. Our version is a more Polish adaptation, which is blended and served cold."

INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil, for frying 2 onions, peeled and chopped 3 leeks, washed and chopped 3 carrots, peeled and chopped 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 200g streaky bacon, diced 1kg beetroot, peeled and cubed 2 litres prepared chicken stock 250ml sour cream or crème fraîche salt and pepper to taste red cabbage, thinly sliced pink radishes, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat some olive oil in a large pot and fry the onions, leeks, carrots, garlic, bacon and beetroot over a medium heat until well browned. 2. Add the stock and cook until all the vegetables are tender (about 30 min). 3. Add the sour cream or crème fraîche and season to taste. 4. Blend until smooth and leave to cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 5. Serve the soup with the red cabbage and radishes. Garnish as desired.

Notes and tips

To make Green Borscht, replace the beetroot with 1kg of Swiss chard. You could even add some sorrel leaves when they are in season.

Borscht is best served with toasted rye bread or any other dark-flour bread with a strong treacle flavour. ORANGE SWEET POTATO & PEAR SOUP WITH PORK CHIPOLATAS Serves: 4–6

"I can easily find comfort in a hot bowl of soup made with love and a starchy vegetable (and some meatiness)."

INGREDIENTS:

1.5kg orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 6 large Forelle or Packham pears, peeled, cored and quartered Olive oil, for tossing Salt and pepper, to taste Butter 3 onions, peeled and chopped 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 5cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 1 litre prepared chicken stock fresh cream, to taste 500g pork chipolatas Sage leaves, to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven. 2. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes and pear quarters in some olive oil, season to taste and roast in the oven until cooked and caramelised. 3. Heat some butter and olive oil in a large pot and fry the onions, garlic and ginger over a medium heat until lightly browned. 4. Add the roasted sweet potatoes and pears, stock and season to taste. 5. Cook for 10–15 min or until the soup has reduced by half. 6. Blend with a stick blender and stir in some cream. 7. Check for seasoning. 8. Pan-fry the chipolatas until golden brown. 9. Serve the soup with the chipolatas on top and sage leaves, if using.

Notes and tips

Add some fresh sage to the soup when cooking—it goes really well with the sweet potato and pan-fried pork chipolata flavour.

CHILLED ASPARAGUS CREAM SOUP Serves: 6–8

"Asparagus is one of the oldest vegetables on earth. Dating back to 3000 BC it was depicted on an Egyptian frieze as an offering. It was also mentioned in one of the oldest documented recipe books in the world – from 1st century Rome. As the years went on, more and more people started to cultivate asparagus and it became sought after in most countries. Our recipe for a chilled asparagus soup is perfect for summer when asparagus is in season."

INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil, for frying 3 onions, peeled and chopped 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 1kg fresh green asparagus, blanched 250ml white wine 1 litre prepared chicken stock 250g crème fraîche 200g baby spinach leaves, washed Salt and pepper, to taste Extra-virgin olive oil, for tossing

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat some olive oil in a large pot. 2. Add the onions and garlic and fry over a medium heat until lightly browned. 3. Meanwhile, cut the tips off the asparagus and set aside. Roughly chop the stems. 4. Add the wine to the onions and garlic and cook until evaporated. 5. Add the asparagus stems and stock and cook until the stems are just cooked. 6. Stir in the crème fraîche and spinach and season to taste. Blend with a stick or jug blender until smooth. 7. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 8. Toss the asparagus tips in some olive oil and season to taste. 9. Serve the chilled soup with the asparagus tips on top. Garnish as desired.

Notes and tips

If asparagus is not in season, use blanched tenderstem broccoli.

For a vegan alternative, substitute the crème fraîche with coconut cream and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Enjoy this soup alongside Enjoy this soup alongside a fruity white such as the a fruity white such as the

Thelema Sutherland Thelema Sutherland Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Sauvignon Blanc 2020,

selling at R109 selling at R109

GAZPACHO WITH GRILLED TOMATOES, NECTARINES & CUCUMBER Serves: 4–6

"During the 18th century, gazpacho became a staple in Spain, then made with bread, water, olive oil and garlic. Only in the 19th century were tomatoes added, for a vibrant red colour. After making gazpacho for a very long time, we started to grill the tomatoes and nectarines before blending them. This gives the soup a wonderful depth of flavour."

INGREDIENTS:

2kg tomatoes, (not too ripe), halved 1kg yellow or white- esh nectarines, halved red onions, peeled and quartered Olive oil, for grilling 10ml coriander seeds, toasted and crushed 10ml cumin seeds, toasted and crushed 00ml pure 100 tomato juice 1 lime, grated zest and juice 0ml aged vinegar or red wine vinegar 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced cloves garlic, peeled and minced 5ml smoked paprika a few slices day-old bread (baguette or ciabatta) salt, pepper and sugar, to taste a few glugs e tra-virgin olive oil e tra nectarine slices and e otic tomato halves, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare the braai. 2. Toss the tomatoes, nectarines and red onions in olive oil along with the crushed coriander and cumin seeds. 3. Grill on all sides until well charred and caramelised. 4. Place the tomatoes, nectarines, onions, tomato juice, lime zest and juice, vinegar, chilli, garlic and paprika into a jug blender. Blend until smooth. 5. Add the bread, season to taste and blend until smooth with a few glugs olive oil. 6. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. 7. Serve the gazpacho with nectarine slices and exotic tomato halves. 8. Garnish as desired.

Notes and tips

If you don’t have a braai or the time to grill the tomatoes and nectarines, marinate them in the spices, tomato juice, lime zest and juice, vinegar, chilli and garlic overnight. Blend with the rest of the ingredients just before serving.

For a fresher approach to the gazpacho, add some freshly chopped basil and mint.

Nectarines can also be frozen and then added to the blender to make the soup instantly cold and ready to serve.

Recipes from Mynhardt Joubert's new book, Recipes from Mynhardt Joubert's new book, My Station Street Kitchen vailable at all good bookshops, R2 0

Meet the MARKLEW FAMILY

A closer look inside the family wine estate

Sitting pretty in the heart of STELLENBOSCH, you’ll nd MARKLEW FAMILY WINES. A FAMILY-OWNED AND OPERATED ESTATE that creates wines in limited, HIGH QUALITY BATCHES in their BOUTIQUE gravitational cellar.

e Marklew Family LR: Bill, Haidee, Lyn & Dudley

In 1970, Lyn and Dudley Marklew bought the scenic 57-hectare farm De Goede Sukses in the Simonsberg Ward. Dudley replanted the vineyards including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and sold the grapes.

In 2001, Lyn and Dudley retired to Hermanus and their children took over the farm. Bill oversees viticulture and nance, while their daughter Haidee ful lls her childhood dream of making and marketing wine on the farm.

Winemaker Dirk Tredoux, who has a long history producing awardwinning wines, says that, “My attention to detail will ensure that the Marklew Family Wines retain their consistency and reach new heights.”

To this day, Marklew Family Wines produces award-winning wines that embody traditional viticulture values and winemaking passion from both generations.

THE MARKLEW FAMILY WINES INCLUDE:

Marklew Range: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, MCC, Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Reserve Bordeaux Blend. Cape Georgian Range: Merlot and Reserve

Winemaker Dirk Tredoux

To order Marklew Family Wines directly from the farm, contact Haidee at wine@marklew.co.za or call 0836599955.

‘ e Cape Georgian Reserve is made to t nicely between new and old world style. It is a true re ection of the unique terroir of the Simonsberg region’